Drill guide for rotary rigs



Apn'l 16, 1940.

D. B. MONROE DRILL GUIDE FOR ROTARY RIGS Filed Deo. 23, 1938 Il ll Il ilIHIIIII'IHW v INVEN 1 OR.

BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a drill guide for use with rotary oil welldrilling rigs and has for its principal object the provision of means tobe carried by the drill stem of a drilling rig which 5 will act toautomatically maintain the drill stem in a vertical position.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a device of this characterwhich can be used for straightening inclined drill holes, that is,bringing them to the vertical position; which will operate automaticallywithout requiring pre-setting at the surface; and which can also be usedfor the usual straight drilling.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device that thedrill bit may be freed from alignment with the drill stem, so that itcan swing in any direction, and then be brought into rigid alignmentwith the drill stem, for drilling purposes, without necessitating thewithdrawal of the tool from the well.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efciency.

These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the improved drill guide in thereleased or angular position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the guide in the aligned position. Inthis figure the drill shaft has been shown in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section looking upwardly on theIline 3-3,Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar cross section looking downwardly on the line 4--4,Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail section illustrating an alternate form of guidebushing.

In Fig. 1, the device is illustrated as it would appear when bringing aninclined drill hole to the vertical position. In Fig. 2, the device isillustrated in position for regular drilling in a vertical hole. Thelower extremity of the usual rig drill pipe is indicated at Ill.

The improved drill guide comprises a socket member II which may beattached to the drill collar III of the regular drill pipe in anydesired manner, such as by means of a tool joint coupling I2. The socketmember receives the upper extremity of a hexagonal drill shaft I 3, tothe lower extremity of which any one of the usual (Cl. Z55-1) drillingbits, such as indicated at I4 may be attached by means of a second tooljoint coupling I5.

The upper extremity of the shaft I3 is formed with a non-circular headI6, preferably hexagonal, of a Size and shape to flt into an axially 5positioned receiving socket Il of similar contour. When in place in thesocket, the head I6 rests against a sealing gasket I8 which is held inplace in the member I I by means of a sleeve bushing I9.

A circular enlargement or ring band 20 sur- 10 rounds the drill shaft I3immediately below the head I6. When the head I6 is in the socket I1 theband 20 rests in a cylindrical receiving pocket 2l.

A threaded bushing 22 coacts with the boss 20 to prevent removal of theshaft I3 from the socket l5 member II.y The bushing 22 is split, asshown at 30, to allow it to be placed over the enlarged extremities ofthe shaft I3.

. The interior of the socket member between the bushing 22 and thechannel 2l is enlarged by 20 having its upper surface tapered outwardlyon an incline, as showny at 23; and its lower surface tapered inwardlykon an incline, as shown at 24, to form an enlarged chamber which willallow the head I6 and its band 20 to move freely away 25 from the axisof the drill pipe in any direction.

The opening through the bushing 22 for the passage of the shaft I3 isenlarged at one or both extremities, as illustrated, to serve as auniversal joint between the socket member and the shaft 30 I3 so thatthe latter will be free to swing at this point in any desired direction.This opening has the same cross section as the shaft, preferablyhexagonal, to prevent relative rotation between the socket member andthe shaft.

A helical compression spring 25 is compressed between the secondcoupling I5 and the socket member so as to continually urge the shaft I3downwardly. The downward movement of the shaft is cushioned by means ofa cushioningv spring 26 between the bushing 22 and the band 20. 'I'hespring 26 is of a type which may be compressed completely at, that is,it is of a spiralhelical type which will not interfere with the flatseating of the band 20 on the bushing 22. The 45 lower extremity of theshaft I3 is formed with a cylindrical enlargement 2l which acts as aguide for the spring 25.

The drilling water may pass through the entire device, since the upperbushing I9 and the drill 50 shaft I3 are both cored for the passage ofthe water to the drill bit. I

It will be noted that the action of the spring 25 is to continually urgethe band 20 against the bushing 22 so that the head I6 and the band 5520 are normally in the enlarged chamber in the socket member I I and thedrill'is free to swing in any direction.

Let us assume that the device is lowered into an inclined drill hole. Asthe bottom of the hole is approached, the weight of the lower extremityof the shaft I3 and the bit I4 will cause the latter to lie against thelow side of the hole regardless of the angle of the drill stem, as shownin Fig. 1. If the drill stem be now rotated, the bit will cut towardthat side of the hole so as to tend to bring the hole back to thevertical position. When the vertical position has been reached, theoperator allows greater weight to rest upon the drill pipe causing thesocket member Il to move downwardly compressing the spring 25 until thehead I6 enters the socket il. As the head approaches the socket, theband 20 will ride against the inclined surface 23 gradually bringing thedrill collar I 0 and the drill shaft I3 into alignment. In the finalposition of Fig. 2, the device is in perfect axial alignment as theregular drilling is resumed.

Should the operator at any time suspect the hole may not be vertical,.orat regular intervals he can relieve the pressure of the drill pipe toagain free the shaft I3 and then continue drilling with light pressureallowing gravity to straighten the hole, if inclined, after which theweight is again increased and the straight drilllng is continued.

- The spring 25 is preferably set to require 4,000 pounds pressure tocompress it suiiiciently to place the head in its socket. Thus, the holemay be drilled with any pressure less than this while the shaft is freeand with any pressure greater than this when shaft alignment is desired.

Under unusual conditions, it may be impractical to place sufficientweight upon the drill to bring it into alignment. Should such conditionsbe encountered, a.guide ring 28 may be placed in the bottom of thechamber in the socket member, as shown in Fig. 5, having an internaldiameter to snugly receive the band 20. With this ring in place, thedrill shaft I3 will be held in alignment with the drill stem untilsulcient weight is placed thereon to force this ring 28 below the band20. The drill shaft is then freed for a swinging direction and may againbe brought into alignment by either decreasing or increasing the weighton the socket member.

In the majority of cases, however, the .ring 23 will be replaced by aflush ring 29, as shown in Fig. 2, the inner surface of which is inalignment with the inner surface 24.

It can be readily seen that the operator can at any time free the drillshaft from alignment with the drill pipe or bring it back into alignmentby simple weight control without requiring withdrawal of the drill pipe.

It will benoted that when the drill shaft is freed from alignment withthe drill pipe, it is absolutely unhindered from swinging in anydirection. This enables the operator, at any time, to free the drill andthen rapidly rotate the drill pipe which will cause the drill to swingoutwardly around the drill hole due to the centrifugal action so that itwill enlarge the hole and cut an annular shelf thereabout to form abottom for the drill when the latter has been cocked to the newdirection. A

While a specicform of the improvement has been described and illustratedherein, vit is desired to be understood that the same may be varied,within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit of the invent on.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means 'having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being suflciently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; said shaft and the passagethrough said enclosing means being non-circular in outline to preventrelative rotation between said socket member and said shaft; and anaxially positioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber forreceiving the head of said shaft.

2. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at` the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being sufliciently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relativerotation between said socket member and said shaft; an axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber for receivingthe head of said shaft; and spring means for urging said head downwardfrom said socket and into said enlarged chamber.

3. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement' of thelatter, said chamber being sufficiently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; said shaft and the passagethrough said enclosing means being non-circular in outline to preventrelative rotation between said socket member and said shaft; an axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber for receivingthe head of said shaft, said socket andsaid head being non-circular inoutline to prevent rotation' of said socket on said shaft; and a taperedsurface in said chamber positioned to guide the head of said shaft intosaid socket.

4. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill .shaft depending vfrom said chamber; enclosing means'surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber,

said latter means having a tapered passage` for said shaft to allow afree swinging movement of the latter, said chamber being suciently largeto allow oscillation of said shaft above said enclosing means; means forpreventing relative rotation between said socket member and said shaft;an axially positioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber forreceiving the head of said shaft; a projecting ring band about the saidshaft within said chamber preventing withdrawal thereof through saidpassage; and a tapered surface in saidl chamber positioned to becontacted by said ring band to guide the head of said shaft into saidsocket.

5. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of,

the latter, said chamber being sufficiently large to allow oscillationof said shaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relativerotation between said socket member and said shaft; an axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber for receivingthe head of said shaft; a drill coupling secured on the lower extremityof said shaft for receiving a drill bit; and a spring compressed betweensaid coupling and said socket member for drawing said head downwardlyfrom said socket.

6. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; means for slidably supportingand universally hinging said shaft in said socket member at a pointbelow the extremity of said shaft so that the head of the latter willoscillate in said chamber; and means for locking said shaft in an axialposition when said socket member is lowered on said shaft.

7. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly vdirected chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; means for slidably supportingand universally hinging said shaft in said socket member at a pointbelow the extremity of said shaft so that the head of the latter willoscillate in said chamber; and an axially positioned socket in the upperextremity of said chamber for receiving the head of said shaft.

8. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member `having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity -of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; means for slidably supportingand universally hinging said shaft in said socket member at a pointbelow the extremity of said shaft so that the head of the latter willoscillate in said chamber; and an axially positioned socket in the upperextremity of said chamber for receiving the head of said shaft, saidhead and said socket being non-circular in outline to prevent rotationof said socket on said shaft.

9. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being sufficiently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relativerotation between said socket member and said shaft; an ,axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber for receivingthe head of said shaft; and a resilient gasket in said socket forreceiving said head.

10. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being suiliciently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relativerotation between said socket member and said shaft; an axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of saidchamber for receivingthe head of said shaft; a projecting ring band about the shaft withinsaid chamber and below the head thereof; and an axially positionedsocket at the bottom of said chamber for receiving said ring band.

l1. A device for guiding the ldrill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allowy a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being suiciently large to allow oscillation of saidshaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relative rotationbetween said socket member and said shaft; an axially positioned socketat the upper extremity of said chamber for receiving the head of saidwithin said chamber and below the head thereof; and an axiallypositioned socket at the bottom of said chamber for receiving said ringband, said chamber being tapered inwardly toward its top and bottom toguide either said head into the upper socket or the ring band into thesecond mentioned socket.

l2. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket lmember having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said` shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being sufficiently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; means for preventing relativerotation between said socket member and said. shaft; an axiallypositioned socket at the upper extremity of said chamber for receivingthe head of said shaft; a projecting ring band about the shaft withinsaid chamber and below the head thereof; an axially positioned socket atthe bottom of said chamber for receiving said ring band; and resilientmeans in said latter socket for supporting said ring band.

13. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being sumciently large to allow oscillation of saidshaft above said enclosing means; said shaft and the passage through thesaid enclosing means being non-circular in outline to prevent relativerotation between said socket member and said shaft; a socket at theupper extremity of said chamber to receive the head of said shaft; andmeans urging said head downward from said socket into said enlargedchamber.

14. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; enclosing means surroundingsaid shaft at the entrance to said chamber, said latter means having atapered passage for said shaft to allow a free swinging movement of thelatter, said chamber being sufficiently large to allow oscillation ofsaid shaft above said enclosing means; said shaft and the passagethrough the said enclosing means being non-circular in outline toprevent relative rotation Vbetween said socket member and said shaft; asocket at the upper extremity of said chamber to receive the head ofsaid shaft; and a drill coupling secured on the lower extremity of saidshaft for receiving a drill bit.

l5. A device for guiding the drill bit of a rotary well drilling rigcomprising: a socket member having a downwardly directed chamber; meansfor securing the upper extremity of said socket member to a drill pipe;a drill shaft depending from said chamber; and means for slidablysupporting and universally said socket member below the extremity oisaid hinging said shaft in shaft so that the head of the latter willoscillate 20 in said chamber.

DANIEL B. MONROE.

